Auction No. 102
Holy books, Chassidut, Manuscripts, Rabbinical & Admors' letters, Eretz Yisrael & Zionism, Americana, Judiaca & Prof. Albert Einstein
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Call to proper Jewish women and girls, with the handwritten signatures of the foremost Admors and Rosh Yeshivas in the Land of Israel. [1967].
Specifications: [1] leaf, 32x21 cm. Typewritten, signed with the handwritten signatures of ten of the generation's leaders.
Background: Extremely important poster about modesty which was written a short while after the Six Day War, in which the great Admors and Rosh Yeshivas in the Land of Israel call for Jewish girls to continue to improve in modest dress. The poster is signed by ten of the great leaders of the generation, Admors of large chassidic groups alongside revered Admors of smaller courts to whom many people flocked to be blessed, Roshei Yeshiva and leaders of the Lithuanian community, led by Rabbi Elazar Mencahem Mann Shach.
The signatories in the order their signatures appear:
The first signatory, the Admor Rabbi Yisrael Alter of Gur, later known as the 'Beit Yisrael' of Gur, may very well have been the instigator of this publication. The Admor, author of the 'Beit Yisrael' of Gur was the the one who revived the chassidut after the Holocaust, one of the leaders of Ultra-Orthodox Jewry in Israel for an entire generation, and head of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah.
The Admor Rabbi Yechiel Yehoshua Rabinowitz of Biala, one of the foremost Admors who served as Admor beginning in 1924, known for his sanctity and prayers and known as 'The Jewish people's pillar of prayer.' He passed away in 1982.
The Admor Rabbi Yochanan Twersky of Rachmistrivka. At a young age he was miraculously saved from being hanged by the Communists. His entire family immigrated to Jerusalem in 1926, he served as Admor beginning in 1950 and was revered by the Jews of Jerusalem and known for his many prayers by the Western Wall. He passed away in 1982.
The Admor Rabbi Mordechai Goldman of Zhvil, was the son of the Admor Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe, he served as Admor for dozens of years and founded the chassidut's institutions in Israel. His teachings appear in the books Yikra D' Malka, passed away in 1979.
Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Zeleznik, Rosh Yeshiva of Etz Chaim, a member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah of Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah, lived in the Kerem neighborhood of Jerusalem throughout his life until his passing at the age of 98 in 2010. He wrote the books Ohr L'Yaakov on Talmudic tractates.
The Admor Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager of Vizhnitz, rebuilt the Vizhnitz chassidut after the Holocaust, one of the leaders of Ultra-Orthodox Jewry in Israel, a member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah of Agudat Yisrael and one of its navigators. He passed away in 1972.
The Admor Rabbi Avraham Weinberg of Slonim. Educator, in his youth he was sent as a messenger to Rabbi Chaim of Brisk and the Chafetz Chaim. He lived in Tiberias, and served as Admor of Slonim beginning in 1956. He later moved to Jerusalem. Member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah until his passing in 1981.
Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, one of the Roshei Yeshiva of Ponovezh, transmitter of the yeshiva traditions from the great pre-Holocaust Lithuanian leaders to the yeshiva world in the Land of Israel. One of the leaders of the Ultra-Orthodox community and leader of the Lithuanian community for several decades, head of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah. He passed away in 2002. He wrote the set of books Avi Ezri on the Rambam.
Rabbi Yosef Adler known as Rabbi of Turda, during the Holocaust he was active in saving Jews and was one of the leading rabbis in Eastern Europe after the Holocaust. Immigrated to Jerusalem in 1950, established the Turda yeshiva in Jerusalem, served as a member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah until his passing in 1977.
The Admor Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Biderman of Lelov. Wondrous figure of a holy man. Born in Jerusalem, ordained as a rabbi at a young age, along with studying kabbalah from the great kabbalists of Jerusalem. Revered by the foremost Admors. Beginning in 1930 he served as Admor of Lelov, and later also of the elders of the Karlin chassidut. He was known as a righteous man and a miracle worker. His tisches were famous. He often immersed himself in the mikveh, and underwent much suffering. He was revered by the Admors of his generation, and was in close contact with the Admor Rabbi Aharon of Belz and Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzeira, the Baba Sali.
Condition: Moderate. Slight tears and stains with no damage to text.
Letter from Rabbi Shmuel Salant of Jerusalem to donors. Jerusalem, [1889].
Specifications: [1] leaf, paper. 14x22 cm. With Rabbi Salant's signature and stamp.
Unique features: Letter regarding funds he received for sick people and their distribution: "... now that the money has reached my hands, I can distribute it with integrity and give two thirds to the Ashkenazim and a third to the Sephardim, not because I have more affinity for the Ashkenazim, but because it is b'ezrat Hashem closer to the truth ...."
Background: Rabbi Shmuel Salant (1816-1909) was known in his youth as the prodigy from Keidan. He studied in the Volozhin yeshiva and received rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Avraham Abba Pasvaller and Rabbi Yaakov Bruchin, rabbi of Karlin. When he immigrated to Jerusalem in Adar of 1841, he served as Av Beit Din of the Ashkenazic beit din in the city. After the death of his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant, he was appointed to succeed him as rabbi of Jerusalem. He was a famed leader and adjudcator who led the community for about fifty years until his passing.
Condition: Very fine.
Collection of letters, from the Torah and charity institutions of Jerusalem, 1925-1957, signed by the great Rabbis.
Specifications: Seven letters, printed and handwritten, from the great institutions of Jerusalem such as: the Etz Chaim yeshiva, Kollel Chabad, the Diskin Orphanage and more, with the signatures and stamps of the great roshei yeshiva and rabbis of the city: the Av Beit Din of the Eida Chareidit Rabbi David Jungreis, Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer - the 'Even HaEzel,' Rabbi Zalman Zaleznik and others.
Content: Some are addressed to Rabbi Yehuda Yehoshua Falk Israelite, Av Beit Din of Chelsea, with condolences on the death of his son, and with confirmation of receipt of donations in his memory, and some of them to the great Rabbis of the diaspora with requests for support and help.
1. Metivta Gadol Rabbanei Russia, Jerusalem. 1936. To Chai Yitzchak Yudkovsky, support for Kimcha D'Pischa.
2. The Torat Chaim. 18 Tevet 5693 [January 1,1933]. To Yehuda Yehoshua Israelite. Condolences and confirmation of receipt of $50 by Rabbi Kook. Signed Simcha Winograd, brother of the manager, and Shlomo Menachem Weintraub.
3. Kollel Chabad Jerusalem. 18 Tevet 5693 [January 1,1933], condolences to Yehuda Yehoshua Israelite.
4. Gemach Otzar HaChessed, signed Tuviah Salomon Dov Vishnetzky.
5. Anshei Ma'amad. 9 Kislev 5717 [November 11, 1956] to Moshe Gershon Goldsweig. Request for assistance. Signed David Jungreis and the brothers Yehuda and Yosef Deutch.
6. Diskin Orphanage. 11 Shevat 5685 [February 5, 1925] to Shabbtai Greenstein, Rabbi of Bavaria. Regarding a donation which had gone awry. With the signature of the collecters and the stamp of Rabbi Yitzchak Yerucham Diskin, son of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin.
7. Etz Chaim. 20 Tevet 5693 [January 3,1933], to Yehuda Yehoshua Israelite. Condolences and confirmation of receipt of $50 by Rabbi Kook. Signed by Rabbis Meltzer, Tukochinsky, Baruch Zeldovich, Shlomo Zalman Zaleznik.
Condition: Fine-very fine condition.
Letter from the heads and directors of the Ashkenazic kollels in the holy city of Jerusalem to the Va'ad HaYisraeli, Va'ad Ha'Aretz HaKedoshah in the city of Livorno. Jerusalem, 1873.
Specifications: [1] leaf paper. Scribal handwriting, with signatures and stamp of the Kollel of the Ashkenazim Perushim.
Content: The letter is signed in the handwriting of the heads of the Kollel who were highly respected people and among the heads of the Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, rabbis and Torah scholars. They are: Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein (1800-1886) son-in-law of Rabbi Chaim of Pinsk and disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. He immigrated to Israel together with his father-in-law in 1823, and succeeded him after his passing as a dayan on the Beit Din of Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, and later served on the Beit Din of the Imrei Binah. He was one of the leaders of the settlement in Jerusalem and the chairman of the Va'ad HaKlali. Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Levi - author of the book Beit L'Avot, Rabbi Nachum of Szadek's youngest brother. Immigrated to Israel together with his brother in 1844, dayan and Av Beit Din in Jerusalem for many years. Rabbi Elazar Natan Kahana Shapira - one of the greatest managers of the committee, was revered by Jews and gentiles alike, and was one of the first to receive Kaiser Franz Josef when he visited Jerusalem. Rabbi Feivish Friedman. Rabbi Meir of Anykščiai - supervisor of Kollel Vilna, agent of Etz Chaim and member of the burial society. He studied Torah diligently. He immigrated to Jerusalem in 1862. Rabbi Isaac Yaffe of Droy - one of the heads and directors of the Va'ad HaAshkenazim. Rabbi Zev Wolf Wolfinson (1814-1886) - son of Rabbi Avraham Wolfinson of Shklov-Jerusalem, travelled ten times as an emissary for Jerusalem. Rabbi Meir of Minsk.
Unique Features: This letter was enclosed with a letter of condolence sent on the death of the Caid [=officer] Nissim Shamama of Tunisia. In order to understand the letter, we must first explain that the agreement between the Ashkenazic and Sephardic kollels was that neither would send letters to Italy without the other. In this letter the Ashkenazic rabbis write that as they heard that the Sephardim breached the agreement and sent a separate letter, they are also sending this letter, and they demand to receive their share in the large estate which the officer left behind.
It is known that there was later an extensive polemic about the halachic validity of the will. The end result was both the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim received their share of the estate. (Refer to Luach Eretz Yisrael by Luncz, 8th year).
Condition: Fine-very fine. Fold marks, short tears along the fold mark.
Court ruling from Safed arranging shared rights of a cistern, the "small house" and the "large house." Safed, 1865.
Specifications: [1] leaf, paper. 25X35 cm.
Unique Features: Rabbi Mordechai [Zilberman] of Uman, Rabbi David Mendel HaCohen of Turka and Rabbi Shmuel Heller are signed on the contract.
Rabbi Shmuel Heller served as rabbi of Safed beginning in 1841 and was one of the great chassidic leaders in the Land of Israel. Passed away in 1884. Authored the books Taharat HaKodesh, Divrei Mishpat, Shivrei Luchot, and more.
Rabbi Mordechai Zilberman [1819-1872] 'Reb Motyeh Dayan,' was rabbi and Av Beit Din in Uman. Immigrated to Israel in 1850 and was chief rabbi of the Ashkenazim in Safed. He was the emissary of the Admors of Boyan, who are the ones to light the bonfire there on Lag B'Omer. Father of Rabbi Rephael and Rabbi Avraham Leib Zilberman.
Condition: Moderate. Fold marks, aging stains, slight tears.
Letter to Rabbi Sonnenfeld regarding the lack of supervision of nikur in the Meah Shearim market which causes stumbling-blocks of eating forbidden animal fat, and his response in his handwriting on the back of the letter. Jerusalem, 1929.
Specifications: [1] paper leaf. 22x28 cm. The letter was typed by typewriter, and Rabbi Sonnenfeld wrote his response on it in his handwriting.
Unique Features: The letter's writers are responsible for stringent ritual slaughter, and ask Rabbi Sonnenfeld to summon Rabbi Alter Mendelson, who is responsible for the competing batei nikur, to clarify the kashrut situation and to warn the public if it becomes clear that a problem exists. In his response, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld writes that if he should not receive a clear response about the responsibility for the nikur, he will have no choice but to publish the content of the letter.
Background: Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld [1848-1932], one of the great rabbis of the generation and one of the leaders of the settlement in the Land of Israel, served as the Chief Rabbi of the Eida Charedit in Jerusalem. He was born in Slovakia and studied from great Torah scholars, including the Ktav Sofer, son of the Chatam Sofer.
Condition: Fine, folding marks, a few stains, filing holes.
"With the arrival of this emissary, Rabbi M. Gershon Lapidot, who comes to you on behalf of the shelter for orphans operated by the gaon of Brisk, I would think it is only superfluous to comment and awaken the generous of our people, to receive him warmly, and give him a hand in his holy work, without any impediment ..." from the letter by Chaim Berlin, Jerusalem, 1892.
Specifications: [1] leaf, paper. 13X21 cm. In his handwriting, with the signature and stamp of Rabbi Berlin.
Background: Rabbi Chaim Berlin [1832-1913] son of the Netziv, among the well-known rabbis of his generation, served as rabbi of Moscow, and as rosh yeshiva of Volozhin for a short time and after that as rabbi of Kobrin. At the age of 75 he immigrated to Jerusalem where he was active in strengthening its Torah, charity and chessed institutions. After the passing of Rabbi Shmuel Salant, Rabbi Chaim Berlin was appointed chief rabbi of the Ashkenazim in Jerusalem.
Condition: Fine, the letter is placed on an additional letter of support and the wet ink of that letter transferred to the back of the letter before us in mirror image, which produced stains in the background of the letter on the front of the leaf, mainly in the upper half.
![[2] Forms for Selling a Place in the Study Hall in Ruzhin, One with the Handwritten Signature of Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro, Av Beit Din of Ruzhin. Ruzhin, 1881, 1882](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale_102-public/269_1.jpg)
![[2] Forms for Selling a Place in the Study Hall in Ruzhin, One with the Handwritten Signature of Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro, Av Beit Din of Ruzhin. Ruzhin, 1881, 1882](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale_102-public/269_2.jpg)
![[2] Forms for Selling a Place in the Study Hall in Ruzhin, One with the Handwritten Signature of Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro, Av Beit Din of Ruzhin. Ruzhin, 1881, 1882](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale_102-public/269_1.jpg?itok=2tj2uJ87)
![[2] Forms for Selling a Place in the Study Hall in Ruzhin, One with the Handwritten Signature of Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro, Av Beit Din of Ruzhin. Ruzhin, 1881, 1882](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale_102-public/269_2.jpg?itok=OqN_blcB)
"I, the undersigned, acknowledge that I sold my place in the study hall ... to Reb Moshe son of Rafael ... and I received these coins," "We, the undersigned, the managers and the proprietors of the study hall here in Ruzhin sold a place in the study hall to Reb Yehoshua son of Chaim Moshe ...." Ruzhin, 1881, 1882.
Specifications: [1] leaf, paper, written on both sides. 17x22 cm. On each page, a separate page for sale of places in the Boyan kloiz in Ruzhin. On one side, signed with the handwritten signatures of two witnesses, one of whom is Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro. Ruzhin, 1881. On the other side, the signatures [9] of the managers and the proprietors. Ruzhin, 1882.
Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro, "Reb Sheike," rabbi, dayan, and Av Beit Din of Ruzhin. One of the foremost disciples of the Admor of Sadigura, his son is the "Pachad Yitzchak" of Boyan. Signed on dozens of documents and letters about the congregation and Kolel V'Ohelin in the city of Safed.
Condition: Fine. Fold marks, a few tiny stains.
![[2] Letters of Thanks from the Members of Mishmar HaYarden to the Admor of Vizhnitz, Rabbi Yisrael Hager. Mishmar HaYarden, 1934](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale_102-public/270_1.jpg)
![[2] Letters of Thanks from the Members of Mishmar HaYarden to the Admor of Vizhnitz, Rabbi Yisrael Hager. Mishmar HaYarden, 1934](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale_102-public/270_2.jpg)
![[2] Letters of Thanks from the Members of Mishmar HaYarden to the Admor of Vizhnitz, Rabbi Yisrael Hager. Mishmar HaYarden, 1934](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale_102-public/270_1.jpg?itok=enRNpoR7)
![[2] Letters of Thanks from the Members of Mishmar HaYarden to the Admor of Vizhnitz, Rabbi Yisrael Hager. Mishmar HaYarden, 1934](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale_102-public/270_2.jpg?itok=a2C-TuN6)
[2] letters confirming receipt of a donation for the members of Mishmar HaYarden and their thanks to the Admor of Vizhnitz. Mishmar HaYarden, 1934.
Specifications: [2] leaves, official paper - of 'The management of Kollel Bukvina, "Yishuv Eretz Yisrael" in the holy city of Safed', and of 'The Committee of the Bukvina Kollelot in the Holy Land, Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberias, in the holy city of Safed.' 22x28 cm. Ink and gold paint.
Unique Features: As part of the official inscription: 'Under the leadership of the Admor Rabbi Chaim of Atunia, a prince of G-d and administrator of the Holy Land' is in the first letter; and above the name of the Admor, Rabbi Chaim Hager, who had already passed away in 1932, his brother, Yisrael's name is written by hand.
Background: The Moshava Mishmar HaYarden, founded with the assistance of the "Chovevei Zion" movement in the Upper Galilee along the Safed-Damascus Road, in 1890. Among the founders of the moshava were Zvi Shneider, Shlomo Levi Grossman. The Moshava underwent several crises with the First World War and the outbreak of malaria. In the letter before us the year 1934 is described as a period of terrible suffering and hardship. Among those who confirm the receipt of the support are Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Grossman and his sons, as well as Zvi Shneider.
The Admor Rabbi Yisrael Hager of Vizhnitz [1860-1936] - was born to his father the Admor Rabbi Baruch of Vizhnitz, educated by his grandfather Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz, author of Tzemach Tzaddik, and was his beloved right-hand-man.In 1885, when his father was appointed as Admor of Vizhnitz, he was accepted as rabbi of a town in the province of Máramaros. Following his success, it was reported to the authorities that he allegedly opposes education and the Hungarian language, and he was forced to flee. In 1893, he was appointed as Admor of Vizhnitz, and despite his young age, the chassidut expanded and developed considerably. During the First World War, he was forced to flee to Grosswardein, where he passed away in 1936. He was known for his book Ahavat Yisrael. His descendants are the current Admors of Vizhnitz.
Condition: Fine-very fine. Minimal stains, slight wear on the edges of the leaf.
Large collection of some 120 letters, documents, Torah novellae, stamps and receipts, mainly from rabbis, postcards, kollels and yeshivas in the Land of Israel from the end of the 19th century until the 20th century.
Among the letters is a letter from the rabbis of Jerusalem to Rabbi Yitzchak Yerucham Diskin prior to his immigration to the Land of Israel.
The names of the following rabbis appear on the letter: Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Shapira, Rabbi Mendel Moinster, Rabbi Yisrael Leib Brinstein, Rabbi Yaakov Orenstein, Rabbi Yehosef Ralbag, Rabbi Yaakov Blumenthal, Rabbi Yeshaya Orenstein and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.
* Stamped commercial document of the Philipp's Ferdinand Sohne Bennisch company of Austria-Hungary, with the stamp of the Deutsche Palaestina Bank, the German Bank in Palestine, 1909.
* Signatures of rabbis and Admors upon receiving financial support, 1949.
* Letter from Rabbi Natan Zvi Friedman with autobiographical descriptions, [Bnei Brak].
* Collection of scraps of paper from zealous anti-Zionists.
"The period in which we live is a tumultuous period in which the original Judaism is engaged in a bitter battle for its existence. Those who observe Torah and mitzvot are experiencing difficult times, waves of horror are engulfing all good places, the keepers of tradition are being pursued. Woe to us that this has happened to us during our lives. There is no-one who is properly concerned and pained by the suffering of the Torah and the suffering of purity."
* Letter from the rabbi of the Old Yishuv to Rabbi Pinchas Aryeh Leibush, Jerusalem, 1904.
In the letter, a faithful student of the writer, Rabbi Menachem Mordechai Frankel [Teomim, later Rosh Yeshiva of the Rabbi Chaim Berlin Yeshiva in Brooklyn, author of Drush V'Chiddush and other books] is mentioned, as well as the emissary to Africa Chananya Pitkevsky, who was supported by Rabbi Shmuel Salant of Jerusalem. He informs the recipient about his family's welfare, mentions his longing to return to learning (Torah) as he used to, and provides details of their studies in three lectures. The end of the letter is lacking.
Condition: Conditions vary, moderate-fine.
Request from Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook to discuss increasing the assistance given to the elderly Mr. Tervavitzsky by half an Egyptian Lira per month. 20 Iyar [May 18] Jerusalem, 1922.
Specifications: [1] leaf, official paper of the Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook. 13x18 cm. Document numbered 2041.
Unique Features: The Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel is concerned about the suffering of an elderly man who expresses his sorrow and discomfort due to the lack of a small monthly sum. Rabbi Kook writes that he does not known if the details of his claim are correct, "But this I do know, that it worthwhile that a respectable old man such as he not have to complain ... for half an Egyptian Lira a month." Therefore, he asks for the matter to be discussed and to be informed of the decision reached.
Background: Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook [1865-1935], adjudicator, kabbalist, poet and philosopher. Served as rabbi of Zaumel and Bausk, Jaffa and the settlements, and later as Ashkenazi rabbi of Jerusalem. He established the Chief Rabbinate of the Land of Israel and served as the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi. Founder of the "Central World Yeshiva," which was later called Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva.
Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky [1871-1955], one of Jerusalem's great rabbis and the head and director of the Etz Chaim institutions. Founder of the "Luach Eretz Yisrael" and author of many books of halacha.
Condition: Very fine. Fold marks.